Wharf-wall and the like



T. ASTON.

WHARF WALL AND THE LIKE.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 18, 1921.

Patented Oct. 4, 1921.

INVENTOR. W/ T/VESSES.

PATENT OFFlCE;

TAGGART ASTON, Q33 BELLENGHAM, VIASHINGTDN.

WHARF-WALL AND THE LIKE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed March 18, 1.321. Serial No. 453,331..

To all 1: from it may concern Be it lrnown that I, TAGGAI-ZT ASTON, acitizen of the United States, residing at 3:21 Exchange Building,Bellingham, county of vVhatcom, State of l l ashington, ha o inventedertain Improvements in VVharf- Walls and the like; and i do declare thefol lowing to be a full, clear, and exact descrip tion of the invention,such as will enable othskilled in. the art to which it apperto make anduse the same, reference l'seing had to the. figures on the accompanyingdrawing, whi. h forms a part of this application.

This invention relates to improvements 1n wharf walls and the like. Theobject of my invention is to provide a form of wharf or quay wall thatwill consist of two or more horizontally placed relieving platformstogether with a combination of small retaining walls stepped down towardthe back of the wharf to reduce depth, cost and weight of superimposedfilling material on the top of said relieving platforms. Thus requiringless costly or numerous piles and at the same time having the directionof the superimposed load acting downward at right angles to the plane ofthe horizontally placed re licving platforms in order to reduce lateralpressures on the structure.

It is also an object of the invention to provide a form of stepped downbulkhead that will reduce the; cost of construction of wharves or quaywalls and add to their stahility and permanence.

. t is also an object to provide a form of wharf wall. that will permitthe use of concrete as the construction material to compete more closelyas to cost with a wharf Wall built wholly or partly of timber.

it is also an object to provide a form of wharf wall that will consistof a series of small stepped down retaining walls and relievingplatforms in which the small retaining walls also act as girders orabutments to support the relieving platforms next superimposed; andalso, by reason of being stepped down in series, to afford a totalcombined cross sectional area and cost materially less than if only onehigh retaining wall and one relieving platform had been provided tocontain the superimposed filling.

It is also an object to provide a form of bulkhead that will consist ofa series of stepped down retaining walls and relieving platforms ofreinforced concrete that can be cast or molded in convenient lengths orunits prior to being placed on the substructure or bents, which lat ercould also be precast for that portion above low water and superimposedand cast or molded to join with the piles after the latter had beenplaced in position.

I attain these objects with the structure illustrated in theaccompanying sheet of (:lrawings in which Figure 1 is a vertical crosssection of a preferred form of my wharf, Figs. and 3 are vertical crosssect1ons of optional constructions of the relieving platforms, Fig. 4.-is a sectional view of Fig. 3 on the line A-A, and Fig. 5 is alongitudinal, vertical section of an optional form of the relievingplatforms.

Similar characters refer to similar parts throughout. llloreparticularly: 1. 1 are the vertical members of the sectional steppeddownbulkhead.

2. 2 are the relieving platforms of said bulkhead.

3, 3 are counterforts strengthening members 1, 1.

a, l are longitudinal ribs along the outer edge of platforms 2,projecting upward.

5, 5 are piles driven in the ground heneath floor 12, and may be eitherof wood or concrete, the latter preferred. These piles are cut off aboutthree feet above low water.

6 is a mound or bulkhead of rubble beneath said wharf and around thefeet of piles 5;. the ridge of which rises to near lowwater mark.

7, 7 are longitudinal ribs on the bottom of relieving platforms 2, 2,projecting downward to engage with notches in bent-s 8.

8, 8 are the bouts of the structure mounted on the heads of piles 5. 1

9, 9 are longitudinal struts connecting and bracing bents 8. All themembers of said structure are preferably made of reinforced concrete.

10 is a concrete or timber sheeting fastened to the inner row of pilesand bearing on the rubble bulkhead and butting on the lowest relievingplatform 2.

v 11, 11 are transverse ribs on thelower side of relieving platforms 2shown in Figs. 24.

12 is the wharf floor, preferably of reinforced concrete, built on afill behind bulkheads 1, and 6, having its front connected to thestepped-down bulkhead l, 2.

13, 1.8 are longitudinal strengthening ribs on th lower sides ofrelieving platforms 2, shown in Figs. 3 and 4E.

14 is a transverse strengthening rib 011 the Patented Oct. 4, 192.1.

lower side of relieving platform 2 shown in Fig. at.

And 15 is a fill behind bulkheads 1, 2 and 6 and provides support forwharf floor 12.

The stepped-down bulkhead is preferably molded in steps consisting of avertical mem ber 1 and a horizontal member 2.

These steps are mounted in place engaged with bents 8 and bearing oneach other. Their surfaces of contact are cemented together with cementgrouting. Vhen the several steps are thus mounted and cemented-together,abulkhead is had which not only is well able tb resist forces actinglandward on the front of the wharf, but also well able to bear theweight of fill 15 and floor 12 together with the load thatmay from timeto time be placed on floor 12.

Lower beuts 8 are seated on top of piles 5. lilien said piles are ofwood drift bolts are driven in their heads and molded into said bents.\Vhensaid piles are of concrete their reinforcing bars enter said bents.Thus the entire substructure is strongly bound together into asingleunit forming an open light and cheap structure well adapted to resistforces acting against its front as well as those resulting from theweight of fill 15 and the load on floor 12. Pressure from said weightand load is largely born by relieving platforms 2 which passes itvertically downward to the ground through bents 8 and piles And there isrelatively but a small. component of this force thatcan act to carry thestructure seaward.

That I claim is:

1. In a wharf structure in. combination, a wharf floor; a substructurebeneath said floor having vertical members set in the ground; and astepped-down bulkhead. having horizontal members bearing on saidvertical members, engaged with the front of said floor and steppingdiagonally downward and shoreward to bear-on the ground.

2. In a wharf structure in combination; a wharf floor; a substructurebeneath said floor, having vertical members set in the ground; a rubblebulkhead on the ground around said vertical members; and a stepped-downbulkhead, having horizontal members bearing on said vertical members,engaged with the front of said floor. and stepping diagonally downwardand shoreward to bear on said rubble bulkhead.

3. In a wharf structure in combination, a

wharf floor; a substructure beneath said floor, having vertical membersset in the ground; a rubble bulkhead on the ground around said verticalmembers; a steppeddown bulkhead, having horizontal members bearing onsaid vertical members, engaged with the front of said floor, andstepping diagonally downward and shoreward to bear on said rubblebulhead; and a fill behind said bulkheads adapted to support said floor.

l. In a wharf structure in combination a wharf floor; a substructurebeneath said floor, having vertical members set in the ground; astepped-down bulkhead having horizontal members bearing on said verticalmembers engaged with the front of said floor stepping diagonallydownward and shore-ward to bear on the ground; and a iill behind saidbulkhead adapted to support said floor.

5. In a wharf structure in combination; a wharf floor; piling beneathsaid iioor set in the ground; a structure of beuts and struts mounted onsaid piling: a rubble bulkhead on the ground around said piling; astepped-down bulkhead connected to the front of said floor. steppingdiagonally downward and shoreward to bear on said rubble bulkhead. andhaving horizontal members bearing on said bents; and a. fill behind saidbulkheads adapted to support said floor.

6. In a wharf structure in combination; a wharf floor; a substructurebeneath said floor having vertical members set inthe ground; and aplurality of L-forin sections bearing on each other and on said verticalmembers. adapted to make a bulkhead from the front of said floor.stepping diagonally downward and shorcward to the ground.

'1'. In a wharf structure in combinatioi'i: a wharf floor; a:substructure beneath said floor. having vertical members set. in theground; a plurality of L-form sections hearing on each other and on saidvertical mcmhers. adapted to form a bulkhead stepping from the front ofsaid floor diagonally downward and shoreward to the ground; and means toengage said sections with said vertical members.

8. In av wharf structure in combination: a wharf floor; a plurality ofpiles beneath said floor set in the ground; a bent-andstrut structuremounted on said piles boneath said floor and engaged with said piles: arubble bulkhead on the ground around said piles; av plurality of L-formscctions. bearing on each other and on said bents. adapted to form abulkhead stepping from the front of said floor diagonally downward andshore 'ard to bear on said rubble bulkhead: means to engage saidsections with said bents; and a. fill behind said bulkheads adapted tosupport said door.

In witness that I claim the foregoing I have hereunto subscribed my namethis 11th day of March, 1921.

TAGGART ASTON.

lVitnesses Fnsnnnicu Molhniiow CARL McCoy.

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